^. 


%'^ 


IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


4p 


^ 


1.0 


1.1 


I 


Li|2^    |25 
u  184 


lU 

u 


14.0 


u& 


1.25  111.4 


1.6 


Photographic 

^Sdenoes 

Corporalion 


^ 


^""^ 


23  WBT  MAIN  STIKT 

WltSTM,N.Y.  14SM 

(71«)«73<4S0* 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/iCIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historicai  IVIicroreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notoa/Notas  tachniquas  at  bibliographiqMaa 


Tlia  instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibiiographicaily  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Colourad  covars/ 
Couvartura  da  couiaur 


I     I   Covars  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagte 

Covars  rastorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raataurte  at/ou  pallicuite 


I     I   Covar  titia  miaaing/ 


La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  maps/ 

Cartas  gAographiquas  an  couiaur 

Colourad  inic  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encra  da  couiaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


I     I   Colourad  plataa  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planchas  at/ou  illustrations  an  couiaur 

Bound  with  othar  matarial/ 
RalM  avac  d'autras  documanta 

Tight  binding  may  cauaa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  intarior  margin/ 

La  re  liura  sarr6a  paut  cauaar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
distortion  la  long  da  la  marga  intiriaura 

Blank  leavaa  addad  during  rastoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  possibia,  thaaa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
II  sa  paut  qua  cartalnaa  pagas  blanchaa  ajouttoa 
lors  d'una  rastauration  apparalaaant  dana  la  taxta, 
mais,  lorsqua  cala  6talt  possibia,  cas  pagaa  n'ont 
pas  Ati  f  iim^aa. 

Additional  commants:/ 
Commantairaa  supplAmantairaa: 


Th^ 
to 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  maillaur  axamplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  At*  possibia  da  sa  procurer.  Las  details 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sent  paut-Atra  uniquas  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifier 
una  imaga  reproduite,  ou  qui  peuvent  exiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mAthoda  normala  da  f ilmaga 
sont  indiquAs  ci-dessous. 


D 
D 

n 
n 
n 

D 
D 
D 


Coloured  pagaa/ 
Pagaa  da  couiaur 

Pagas  damaged/ 
Pages  endommagtea 

Pages  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagas  restaurAes  at/ou  palliculAaa 

Pagas  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pagas  dAcoiorAea,  tachetAes  ou  piquAas 

Pagas  detached/ 
Pages  dAtachAea 

Showthrough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  variea/ 
Quality  InAgala  de  i'impraaaion 

Includea  supplementary  material/ 
Comprend  du  material  suppMmentaire 

Only  edition  available/ 
Seule  Mition  diaponlbia 

Pages  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  hava  been  ref limed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Lea  pagaa  totalament  ou  partiellament 
obacurciaa  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  una  pelure, 
etc.,  ont  At*  fiimAea  A  nouveau  da  fapon  A 
obtanir  la  mailleure  image  poasibla. 


Th 
po 
of 
filri 


Or! 
be 
thi 
sio 
oti 
fin 
sio 
or 


Th( 
shi 

Tir 

wh 

Ma 

dif 
eni 
be( 
rigl 
req 
ma 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film*  au  taux  da  rAduction  indiquA  cl-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 


12X 


16X 


20X 


a4X 


2IX 


32X 


re 

l«tails 
M  du 
nodifier 
Br  una 
'ilmag* 


The  copy  filmed  here  hae  been  reproduced  thanka 
to  the  generosity  of: 

National  Library  of  Canada 


The  images  appearing  here  ere  the  best  quality 
possible  considering  the  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  Iceeping  with  the 
filming  contract  specifications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covers  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  last  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, or  the  bacic  cover  when  appropriate.  Ail 
other  original  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


es 


L'exemplaire  film*  fut  reproduit  grAce  A  la 
gAnArositi  de: 

Bibliothdque  nationale  du  Canada 


Las  images  suivantes  ont  6t4  reproduites  avec  ie 
plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
de  la  netteti  de  l'exemplaire  film6,  et  en 
conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 

Les  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  est  imprimte  sont  filmte  en  commen9ant 
par  Ie  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  Ie  second 
plat,  salon  Ie  cas.  Tous  les  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmte  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — •»>  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  applies. 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
dernlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  Ie 
cas:  Ie  symbols  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  ie 
symbols  y  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diegrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tabiea«jx,  etc.,  peuvent  §tre 
filmto  it  des  taux  de  reduction  diff6rents. 
Lorsque  Ie  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  ciichA,  il  est  film6  d  partir 
de  I'angle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  Ie  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


errata 

I  to 

t 

I  pelure, 

on  A 


D 

32X 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

;,^,am*'»*-- 


■■-fHiftlfiB^ 


COMMERCE 


OF    THE 


LAKES,  MD  ERIE  CANAL. 


BY  JAMES  L.  BARTON. 


BUFFALO: 

SEAVER'8  POWER  FREPBES,  COURIER  OFFICE. 

1851. 


■  HF  £.i;*7 


148537 


iw^ 


COMMERCE 


OT   THE 


LAKES  AND  THE  ERIE  CANAL. 


^^/^^^^^^^^^^ 


Notwithstanding  the  great  amount  of  information  al- 
ready spread  before  the  public,  in  relation  to  the  sudden 
rise,  rapid  growth  and  constantly  increasing  trade  with 
the  Great  West,  it  does  not  seem  to  be  out  of  place,  to 
scatter  yet  more.  It  is  only  in  this  way,  this  important 
matter  can  be  kept  fresh  in  the  mind,  and  secure  to  it 
that  attention  it  is  so  justly  entitled  to. 

In  undertaking  to  give  some  slight  account  of  the  bus- 
iness done  on  the  Lakes  and  Erie  Canal  in  the  year  1850, 
I  do  not  intend,  for  I  have  not  the  necessary  documents 
for  doing  so,  to  exhibit  any  part  of  it,  except  what  has 
passed  through  the  Port  of  Buffalo,  only.  The  variety 
and  extent  of  the  Commerce  ofaU  the  Lakes,  above  and 
below  the  Niagara  Falls,  may  be  judged  of  by  what  pass- 
es through  Buffalo,  where,  probably,  the  largest  half  of 
the  whole  direct  trade  is  done. 


J 


To  collect  a  full  account  of  all  the  Commerce  of  tlie 
several  porta  and  places  on  all  of  the  great  Lakes,  is  a 
task  that  cannot  be  performed  by  any  one  individual, 
unless  he  gives  up  his  whole  time  to  it ;  and  few  are 
found,  who  are  able  and  willing  to  incur  such  an  expense 
voluntarily.  At  the  port  of  Buffalo,  where  the  utmost 
care  has  been  taken  to  collect  all  the  facts  in  relation  to 
this  trade,  much  property  passes  up  and  down  the  Ijakes, 
of  which  no  account  is,  or  can  be  taken.  The  trips  to 
perform,  particularly  across  Lake  Erie,  are  so  short,  and 
many  steam  vessels  leaving  port  in  the  night,  but  contin- 
uing to  receive  cargo  until  the  moment  of  departure, 
much  property  is  carried  away  that  is  not  put  on  the 
manifest.  Such  is  the  case  with  vessels  arriving  from  up 
the  Lake.  Much  property  is  also  shipped  to  and  receiv- 
ed from  ports  within  the  District,  of  which  no  report  or 
manifest  is  required.  It  therefore  follows  as  a  matter  of 
necessity,  and  after  taking  all  the  care  possible,  to  get  an 
account  of  all  the  Commerce  passing  out  and  in  at  the 
port  of  Buffalo,  all  we  do  get,  falls  much  short  of  the 
real  amount. 

The  statement  here  given,  of  the  Imports  at  Buffalo 
in  1850,  from  the  Lakes,  has  been  most  carefully  made 
up  from  the  manifests  exhibited  at  the  Custom  House. — 
With  the  view  of  showing  the  variety  of  articles  which 
enter  into  and  form  the  trade  from  the  West,  I  have  ta- 
ken the  pains  to  enumerate  very  many.  The  valuation 
has  been  calculated  from  actual  sales  and  prices  given 
by  our  heavy  dealers.  Great  care  has  been  taken,  in 
arriving  at  the  quantity  and  value  as  near  as  possible, 
that  a  just  and  trtie  exhibit  might  be  made  of  the  pres- 
ent magnitude  of  this  Commerce,  as  the  certain  and 
'^.arefully  ascertained  facts  would  warrant. 


ic 


fi 


o; 

7 


-^ 


The  rapid  and  constant  increase  of  the  trade  from  the 
"Western  country  can  be  best  realized,  by  conij)aring  per- 
iods of  time,  only  a  few  years  past,  with  the  present. 

In  tlie  year  1835,  the  following  articles  were  received 
from  Ohio,  tlie  then  only  exporting  Western  State,  and 
shipped  towards  tide  water  on  the  Erie  Canal : 


Urn.  buitor, 

Ibi.  wool,  clieo-e,  lard. 

I4U,0U    I    l.uau.OJ'i 


blilv.  flour.  Iiu.  whcnt.     bu.  corn,    bbla  provla.  bbU  ashci.   Ib>.  staves 
60,2.')3      I      08,071      I       i'l,.^7e      I      0,.5l>'i     |      4,1l»      |     '2,5tU,'27i 

In  1  h40  otlior  States  commencod  exporting. 

033.700      I    fMl.llKi      I       47.^HJ     |    ^i.O.O     |     7.  :08      |    -Ji.llO.OOO      |     107.701    |    3.1-22.687 

In  1846  all  the  Western  States  became  exporters. 

717.4t'6     I  l.iai.DIM)     I      3:).UGU     |    08.100     |    ;]4.00-i     |    t^e.'i0«.431 

In  1850  the  same  sources  have  furnished — 

084.430      1 3.304.047     |  '2.tlO@.007     I  140.e3ii     I    17.JU4     |  159,470.504 


2.0S7.701    I   0.507  007 


8.805.817    I  17.334.081 


In  the  five  North-western  States  the  Wheat  crop  of 
1850  is  fully  fifty  millions  of  bushels  ;  and  that  of  Corn 
much  greater  than  in  1849.  But  a  small  portion  of  the 
former  and  scarcely  any  of  the  latter  has  gone  to  market 
this  fall,  leaving  an  immense  quantity  on  hand  to  come 
forward  next  spring. 

The  following  statement  shows  the  kind  and  quantity 
of  property  imported  into  Buffalo,  from  the  Western 
States,  (with  a  very  little  froi^i  Canada  included,)  during 
the  year  1850  ;  so  far,  as  it  can  be  obtained  from  the 
manifests  of  vessels  repoiied  at  the  Custom  House  : 


IMPORTS. 


If    i^' 


Flour, barrels  1,103,080 

Rye  flour "  280 

Buckwheat  flour.      "  10 

Buckwheat  flour. bags  347 

Com  meal barreln  1 5,270 

Wheat bushels  3,681,348 

Corn "  2,603,378 


Rye 

Gate, " 

Barley " 

Ashes barrels 

Ashes boxes 

Pork barrels 

Bc'jf tierces 

Beef barrels 

Beef  tongues " 

Beef  tongues, .  half.     " 

Tripe " 

Bacon casks 

Bacon boxes 

Bacon pieces 

Hams number 

Mutton  hams ....  casks 
Lard,  casks  and . .  barrels 

Lard kegs 

Grease barrels 

Lard  <fe  Lins'd  oil,    ** 

Castor  oil " 

Corn  oil. .......     " 

Rock  oil boxes 

Fish barrels 

Fire  clay " 

Fire  brick number 

Mineral  paint. . . .  barrels 
Grass  &  clov'  seed     " 

Flax  seed « 

Flax  seed bushels 

Hemp  seed boxes 

Grindstones number 

Grindstones tons 

Whet  &  scy'e  st's  boxes 

Lead,  pig number 

Pig  iron tons 

Starch casks 

Starch boxes 

Candles " 

Soap 


t( 


116 

360,680 

3,060 

17,628 

423 

41,472 

16,065 

58,641 

108 

140 

236 

17,263 

1,807 

4,888 

13,676 

125 

14,848 

6,826 

4,456 

6,106 

6 

10 

160 

10,370 

073 

16,800 

7,386 

8,222 

466 

2,686 

24 

6,156 

628 

273 

10,363 

3,162 

615 

3,301 

4,061 

688 


(( 


Butter barrels 

Butter kegs 

Cheese boxes 

Cheese casks 

Tallow " 

Dried  fruit sacks 

Dried  fruit barrels 

Dried  fruit boxes 

Green  fruit barrels 

Highwines  &;  whis  '* 
Ale  and  beer ....  " 
Cider « 

Eggs " 

Feather rolls 

Wool baletf 

Sheep  pelts " 

Leathers " 

Hemp , 

Flax 

Cotton " 

Moss " 

Hair  and  bristles. .     ^ 

Rags « 

Broom  com " 

Horses number 

Cattle " 

Sheep " 

Hogs,  (live) « 

Hogs,  (slaught'd) .     « 
Hides  and  skins . .     " 
Hides  and  skins. .  bundles 
Furs  and  peltries.. packs 
Furs  and  peltries. casks 
B'urs  and  peltries. boxes 

Horn  tips hlids 

Horn  tips barrels 

Bones casks 

Furniture packages 

Furniture tons 

Sugar hbds 

Sugar barrels 

Sugar boxes 

Molasses barrels 

Tobacco,  unmfd, . .  hhds 
Tobacco,  unmfd, . .  boxes 

Saleratus casks 

Salcratus boxes 


2,203 

40,135 

161,110 

.3,158 

6,205 

1,276 

8,760 

326 

6,113 

32,660 

125 

203 

6,844 

8,476 

63,867 

8,288 

2,688 

617 

366 

627 

10 

764 

3,018 

8,080 

1,047 

4,260 

10,180 

46,448 

7,420 

72,204 

751 

3,547 

121 

104 

62 

26 

303 

2,805 

6 

47 

100 

15 

48 

647 

1,711 

887 

270 


Potatoes bufthols       8,308 


ill 


Peas  and  beans,  .casks 


1,010 


241 

86 

986 

3,618 

134 

23,000 

450 


Mineral  coal tons 

Reapers number 

Glue barrels 

Cranberries " 

Hickory  <fe  chest's    " 

Sourkrout,  kgs  and    " 

Wild  pigeons. . .  .number 

Live  Turkeys. ...     " 

Boards  i&scantlingfeet    52,124,275 

Laths «      1,184,100 

Staves No.    10,988,062 

Shingles «      4,568,000 

Shingle  bolts.... cords  372 

Hoop  poles number      4,300 

Ship  knees "  2,816 

Currier  blocks... .     "  1,044 

Oars feet         782,480 

Oars number      6,065 

Hubs  and  felloes..     " 

Railroad  ties " 

Wagon  tops feet 

Wood cords 

Clothes  pins boxes 

Broom  handles. .  .number 

Axe  helves boxes 

Cedar  posts. cords 

Cedar  posts number 

Lights  of  sash. ...     " 
Gun  stocks " 


885,000 
632 

2,250 
215 
150 

4,000 

44 

428 

9,078 

3,500 


Foi  I dozen 

Scoops ** 

Rakes. " 

Brooms " 

Shovels  and  spades,  bundles 

Hoes " 

Scythes " 

Paper ** 

Cane  rods ** 

Iron ** 

Iron  scrap tons 

Iron  bars number 

Iron  pieces " 

Sieel cases 

Axes ,.  .boxes 

Adz " 

Sad-irons casks 

Springs  and  axles. number 
Nails  and  spikes,  .kegs 

Copper  ore masses 

Copper tons 

Copper casks 

Copper ingots 

Copper plates 

Oil  cake tons 

Oil  cake casks 

Oil  cake boxes 

Bucks  horns number 

Hog  skins boxes 

Gas  pipes tons 


491 

51 

200 

1,006 

374 

594 

46 

7,166 

156 

189 

23 

1,657 

465 

49 

389 

< 

10 

164 

1,721 

171 

113 

185 

6,627 

374 

921 

1,041 

10 

218 

6 

U 


6,000 

Sundries,  Merchandise,  Plaster,  Ginseng,  Essential  Oils, 
different  kinds  of  Roots,  casks  of  Elm  and  Tan  Bark,  Vine- 
gar, Maple  Sugar,  Veneering,  boxes  Glass  and  Glass  ware, 
&C.,  &2 packages, 

Also,  large  quantities  of  building,  docking  and  ship  Tim- 
ber, Plank,  Spars,  Pine  Saw  Logs,  &c.,  the  whole  forming 
an  estimated  value  of 122,525,781 


29,582 


**« 


EXPORTS. 

The  only  way  to  obtain  any  accurate  account  of  the  Export  Commerce 
from  Buffalo  to  the  Western  States  is,  to  depend  upon  the  statements  of 
Property  received  here  by  the  Erie  Canal,  the  Albany  and  Buffalo 
Railroad,  and  estimating  the  sales  and  manufactures  of  our  City  ;  they 
being  the  chief  sources  of  supply.  This  will  not  be  perfectly  exact,  but  it 
will  come  so  near  being  so,  that  all  useful  purposes  will  be  answered : — 


8 


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No.  III. — Statement  of  Property  taken  from  and  left  at 
Buff alo  from  first  January  to  '^Xst  December^  1850,  by 
the  Albany  and  Buffalo  Railroad. 


Articles. 


Of  the  Forest. 

Fut-s  and  Peltries pounds 

Boards  and  Scantling feet 

Shingles M 

Sta\es pounds 

Ashes barrels 

Products  of  uinimals. 

Pork barrels 

Pork  in  the  hog pounds 

Beef barrels 

Bacon pounds 

Cheese *' 

Butter •' 

Lard « 

Wool « 

Hides « 

Tallow « 

Vegetable  Food. 

Flour barrels 

Wheat bushels 

Corn « 

Barley " 

Peas  and  Beans " 

Potatoes « 

Dried  fruit pounds 

All  other  Agricultural  Products. 

Cotton pounds 

Unmanufactured  tobacco " 

Clover  and  grass  seed " 

Flax  seed " 

Hops « 

Manufactures. 

Domestic  spirits gallons 

Leather pounds 

Furniture " 

Pig  Iron •' 

Bloom  and  Bar  Iron " 

Iron-ware « 


1850. 


Shipped 

from 
Buffalo. 


91,389 

240,787 

39 

3,252,300 

1,559 

3,342 
894,912 
367 
706,064 
336,651 
693,352 
136,300 
1,114,604 
429,977 
192,491 


5,366 

40 

159 


478 
572,474 


14,455 

1,250,900 

25,238 

3,177 

33,553 
183,146 
135,188 

26,572 
13,995 


Left 

at 

Buffalo. 


2,195 

3,282 
10,607 

1,395 
135,144 


13 

123 

5,910 
1,161 

867 
112,926 

38,818 

328 

58,467 

607,333 

10,665 

151,003 

223,667 


m 


left  at 
850,  by 


I). 

Left 

at 

Buffalo. 


2,195 

3,282 

10,607 

1,395 
135,144 


No.  Ill  CoNTiNtfED. — Statement  of  Property    taken 
from  and  l?ft  at  Buffalo  from  \st  January  ti  31*^  />e- 
cember,  1850,  by  the  Albany  and  Buffalo  Railroad, 


Articles. 


Domestic  Woolens pouncis 

Domestic  salt bushels 

Merchandise. 

Light  8  mill  toll pouncis 

Sugar 

Molasses 

Coffee 

Nails  and  spikes 

Iron , 

Crockery  and  Glass-ware 

Oysters  and  Clams 

All  other  Articles. 

Cattle  13,000,  and  hogs  4,797,588 " 

Stone,  Lime  and  Clay " 

Gypsum " 

Mineral  Coal " 

Sundries " 


1850. 


Left 
at 
Buffiilo. 


a 


20,340 
GO 

226,094 
3,170 


2,8  2  o 
21,081 
23,845 


4,810,588 
28,274 

46,000 
3,110,744 


6,400 


15,251,240 

113,605 

22,929 

59,271 

104,631 

91,921 

177,765 

615,986 


60,911 
41,470 

3,326,334 


^. 


13 
123 


5,910 
1,151 


857 
112,926 


38,818 

328 

58,467 

607,333 

10,665 

151,003 

223,567 


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$22,525,781 


18 

From  the  foregoing  Tables  a  knowledge  of  tlie  Com- 
merce entering  and  leaving  the  Port  of  Buffalo  in  1850, 
is  pretty  correctly  arrived  at.    They  sum  up  thus  : 
Table  No.  1  shows  that  the  value 
of  the  Imports  from  the  Lakes 
was  .... 

Table  No.  2  shows  that  the  Erie 
Canal  delivered  here,  original- 
ly destined  to  go  to  the  West- 
ern Stjites  and  Canada, 
And  for  delivery  in  the  City  and 
that  portion  of  New  York,  on 
and  near  Lake  Erie, 
Table  No.  3  gives  the  amount  re- 


33,970,645 


,888,525 


ceived  by  the  Railroad  from 
March  15th  to  Dec.  20th, 


-     6,152,931 
$14,041,456 


It  is  quite  difficult  to  deter- 
mine what  portion  of  this  $14,- 
041,456  enters  into  the  exports. 
But  it  will  not  be  tar  out  of  the 
way  to  estimate  that,  Tjy  adding 
to  it,  the  value  of  the  manufactur- 
ed articles  of  ironmongiy,  cabi- 
net ware,  leather,  white  lead,  up- 
holstery, and  the  productions  of 
numerous  other  manufactures  in 
this  city  ;  a  large  portion  of  the 
dry  goods  of  light  weight  but  val- 
uable, brought  by  the  Railroad, 
originally  started  for  the  West- 
ern States  ;    the  export  of  the 


J^: 


i 


19 

largest  portion  of  the  Salt  bro't 
up  the  Canal ;  the  large  amount 
of  merchandise  sold  wholesale 
and  retail  to  Western  tradei-s ; 
the  retail  trade  with  Canada;  and 
the  amount  originally  destined 
for  that  portion  of  New  York 
bordering  on  Lake  Ene;  to  place 
the  amount  at  three-fourths  of 
the  Canal  and  Railroad  impoi-tar 
tions :  which  will  give  the  sum 
of 

Total  Exports,        -        -  . 
Tliese  statements  show  tliat  the 

Import  Commei'ce  of  Buftlilo, 

in  1850,  amounted  to 
The  Exports  to        -        -        - 

Forming  a  valuation  of,  (^67,027,518 

To  which  it  is  proper  to  add  the  Commerce  of  Black 

Rock  and  Tonawanda,  ports  at  the  lower  end  of  Lake 

Erie  visited  by  vessels,  in  order  to  show  the  total  of  the 

Commerce  of  the  upper  Lakes  which  concentrates   at 

Buffalo  and  the  lower  end  of  Lake  Erie. 

At  Black  Rock  the  value  of  Western  and 
Canada  property  received  and  shipped 
down  the  Erie  Canal  in  1850,  is      -        -  $1,359,870 

Property  received  by  the  Canal  and  shipped 

to  Western  States  and  Canada,        -        -       587,823 

The    business  of  Tonawanda  to    Western 

States  and  Canada,        -        -        -        -  86,812 

From  Western  States  and  Canada,      -        -     1,118,682 

The  whole  forming  an  aggregate  of  $70,180,705 


$10,531,092 

$67,027,518 


$22,525,781 
44,501,737 


f^i 


\t\ 


f 


i 


20 

Without  taking  into  consideration  the  immense  paasen- 
ger  trade,  the  large  sums  of  money  carried  across  the 
Lakes  by  purchasers  of  produce,  Emigrants,  Government 
funds  and  Bank  operations,  which  amount  to  many  mill- 
ions of  dollars. 

The  States  and  countries  which  the  property  went 
to  and  came  from,  are : — ^Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Michigan, 
Wisconsin,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa,  Minesota,  Missouri, 
Kentucky,  Tennessee,  Ai'kansas,  Alabama,  Mississippi, 
Louisiana,  New  Mexico,  Canada  and  that  portion  of 
New  York  bordeiing  on  Lake  Erie. 

The  Lake  Commerce  of  the  same  States  in  1848, 
with  the  port  of  Buffalo  alone,  made  up  in  the  same  man- 
ner, as  this  statement  is  filed  in  the  Topographical  Bu- 
reau at  Washington,  was  -  -  -  $60,140,062 
In  1850  it  is 67,027,518 


Being  an  increase  in  two  years  of       %  6,887,456 


m 
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22 
Tlid  irhole  forming  an  iii^ij^rvgutc  as  follows  : 


No. 


F«)r('i^ni  Vc'««'Ih  fr(»in  Korcijrii  l*orts ariivoti 

Ft)roi^?i  V«'s**<'ls  tVom  Koiciun  Ports clcaieil 

Aiiicric.'m  N't'swls  tVoin  F<»r<'ij^n  Ports. . .  .anivt'il 
AnK'iii'aiJ  V'cshoIs  from  Foroij^n  Porta. .  .  .rlcartMl 

Coastiiii;  'JVudu arriv*.**! 

Coawtiiig  Trade i'lcaroJ 


Totinagti. 


47.) 
40(1 
I  5(1 
102 
{,r)5K 


8,444 


7ft,(U(M'2 
7m,h|)7,40 
20,740,03 
24,0H4,H0 

i,2rj5,4;<o,r)8 

1,203,007,03 


2,713,700,86-95 


ViiMHclR 

The  following  description  of  Vessels  are  now  wintering  in  the  Port  of 

Buftiilo:— 

18  Steamboats tons  13,170,14 

17  Propellers "  0,302,09 

20  Brij;s "  4,7(^5,30 

40  Sfliooiier« "  8,81 5,36 

2  Smll)oat8 «  18,70 


103 


33,072,28-06 

The  whole  forming  an  exhibit  worthy  to  be  compared 
witli  ahnost  any  of  our  Athmtic  seaport  towns. 

Forming  this  Commerce,  we  find  the  sugar  of  Louis- 
iana, the  cotton  of  Tennefisee  and  Mississi])pi,  the  hemp 
of  Kentucky,  the  furs  of  Missouii  and  distant  West,  the 
coppei"  of  Lake  Suj)erior,  the  lead  of  Wisconsin,  the  agri- 
cultural and  forest  products  of  all  the  States  bordering 
on  the  Lakes,  the  manufactures  of  New  England  and 
New  York,  and  a  small  amount  of  $4 3 8,0 20,  in  bond  and 
otherwise,  of  Canadian  products. 

This  Commerce  is  conducted  at  great  risk  to  life  and 
property,  security  to  which  should  be  rendered  more 
certain,  by  the  building  of  good  harboi-s  to  shelter  it 
from  storms,  and  l:>y  the  improvement  of  the  shallow 
navigation  through  Lake  St.  Clair.  If  this  were  done 
the  saving  in  time  and  reduction  in  the  price  of  freight, 
lighter  insm'ance,  saving  of  lighterage  and  damage  to  ves- 


io,()2 

►  7,40 
K),n3 
<4,H0 

u),r)8 

)7,03 

1)0,86-95 
u  I'ort  of 

,14 

,09 
,:J0 
,35 
,70 

,28-06 

mpared 

►f  Louis- 
le  hemp 
^est,  the 
the  agri- 
ordering 
and  and 
)ond  and 

>  life  and 
•ed  more 
helter  it 

shallow 
ere  done 
f  freight, 
^e  to  vea- 


selrt  and  car/^oi'M,  and  tin*  greater  l<>a< Is  that  could  ho  car- 
ri<'d,  would  rrpay  thecxpcnsif  in  one  year. 

The  partially  HnishtMl  liai'hors  around  the  Lake«4,  hav- 
ing heeii  left  several  yeai*H  without  any  appropriations  or 
r('j)airs,  are  rn])i<lly  giving  away  l)('f(>rethe  ntornis.  Hars 
are  loniiiiig  at  tlit'ii*  mouths,  so  that  many  ))orts  cannot  ho 
(Altered  hy  heavily  loa(l«'(l  vessels  without  grounding  and 
sticking  fast,  greatly  eudangei'ing  vessel  and  cargo  in  a 
etoi'm.  Jn  otlu'iN  the  channel  of  entranc*;  has  changed, 
and  the  diillculty  of  entering  and  leaving  is  greatly  in- 
creased. At  this  Port,  where  more  than  half  of  all  the 
Conmierce  of  all  tlit^  Lakes  concentrates,  it  is  not  /m  un- 
comm(m  night,  to  Hee  half  a  dozen  loaded  vessels  at  a 
time  tkst  on  the  ])arat  tlie  entrance  of  the  harbor.  The 
periods  between  api)ropriations  for  these  works  are  so 
long,  and  the  amount  so  limited  each  tinu',  that  the  work 
done  under  one  ap2)ropriation  is  nearly  desti'oyed,  or 
damaged  to  that  degree  that  the  subsequent  appropria- 
tion is  consumed  in  repairs  witlunit  adding  any  new 
works  towards  completing  the  original  design. 

Great  and  im[)oi'tant  interests,  so  especially  nccessaiy 
to  the  welfare  of  the  i)eople,  as  the  internal  trade  of  the 
country,  it  is  no  more  than  reasonable  to  suppose,  would 
receive  attention  from  Legislators.  Cultivated  and  pro- 
moted as  it  is  by  any  and  all  other  piiople,  in  this  day  in 
our  own  land  it  is  looked  upon  as  a  secondary  consider- 
ation and  treated  as  such.  Questions  of  an  abstract  char- 
acter, not  merely  useless  in  themselves,  but  absolutely 
mischievous  in  their  tendency,  alone  engage  the  atten- 
tion of  Legislators,  State  as  well  as  National.  Instead  of 
devoting  their  time  and  talents  to  legislate  for  the  in- 
terest and  good  of  the  many  millions  who  now  jiossess 
this  happy  land,  and  enjoy,  under  the  mercies  of  God,  all 


24 


I 


■■■.  i'  k  f 

^    r     !i 


If 


f  » 

in 


the  blessings  and  pri\aleges  a  people  can  hope  for  ; — in- 
stead of  striving  to  bind  the  great  family  of  American 
States  stronger  together,  by  bonds  of  mutual  interests 
and  good  feelings,  mischievous  spirits,  desecrating  the 
talents  which  God  gave  them  for  good  and  useful  pur- 
poses, are  engendering  discord  and  promoting  ill  will 
and  disunion,  and  if  possible,  endeavoring  to  destroy  the 
last  hope  of  every  lover  of  free  institutions,  and  weaken 
very  much  the  belief  in  the  capacity  of  man  for  self-gov- 
ernment. 

The  great  chain  of  Lakes,  upon  which  some  eight 
States  are  bounded,  and  the  Mississippi  River  the  com- 
mon outlet  for  more  than  a  dozen  others,  are  channels 
possessing  national  character  and  importance  enough  to 
engage  the  attention  of  Congress,  which  alone  has  the 
power,  right  and  ability  to  make  appropriations  for  this 
purpose,  and  "to  regulate  trade  between  the  several 
States,"  is  altogether  neglected. 

Improvements  by  Congress  on  these  two  great  routes, 
the  great  avenues  of  trade  of  the  whole  Union,  cannot 
by  any  fair  construction  or  reasonable  language  be  called 
local  in  character  or  purpose.  The  constant  and  abso- 
lute necessary  use  of  them  by  so  many  different  States, 
forbids  such  an  idea.  That  there  is  a  pressing  want, 
calling  loudly  upon  Congress  to  make  appropriations  for 
harbors,  light-houses,  beacons,  dredging  out  channels  on 
the  Lakes,  and  removing  bars,  snags  or  obstructions  in 
the  Mississippi,  is  very  evident,  from  the  wrecks  of  ves- 
sels, destruction  of  lives  and  property  annually  taking 
place,  for  the  want  of  these  improvements.  The  Missis- 
sippi River  and  the  Lakes  constitute  the  only  connect- 
ing water  links  between  the  Atlantic  and  the  great 
West.    Through  them  ai*e  annually  pouring  millions  of 


25 

property,  the  product  of  home  labor,  and  carrying  back 
the  manufactures  of  the  old  States,  building  up  our  At- 
lantic Cities,  and  extending  the  Foreign  Commerce  of 
our  country  with  all  the  world. 

The  West  for  years  has  been  applying  to  Congress 
for  slight  appropriations  to  improve  and  I'ender  safe 
these  National  Water  Courses,  without  effect ;  while 
they  in  turn  have  been  asked  by  the  older  States  to  ap- 
propriate millions  for  protection  to  Ocean  Commerce, 
not  merely  at  home,  but  in  all  parts  of  tlie  world,  which 
they  have  cheerfully  done.  The  West  think,  and  think 
justly,  that  a  million  of  doUai's  worth  of  pi'operty,  ex- 
posed to  the  storms  and  tempests  on  a  Lake  coast,  is  as 
much  entitled  to  harboi*s  for  shelter  as  the  same  amount 
of  property  is,  on  the  Atlantic  coast. 

They  furnish  largely  the  materials  to  form  the  For- 
eign Commerce  of  the  country  and  cheerfully  assist  to 
maintain  a  Navy  as  well  as  light-houses,  harbors,  and 
forts,  to  shelter  and  protect  it.  Yet,  when  they  ask  for 
slight  appropriations,  to  iraj)rove  the  navigation  of  the 
inland  seas  of  the  country,  over  which  floats  annually 
twice  the  value  of  commerce  that  the  foreign  trade 
amounts  to,  tlieir  aiDplication  is  met  witli  the  most  cap- 
tious and  wire-drawn  ol)jections,  from  sources  tliat  are 
contiually  participating  in  Governmental  expenditures 
of  one  kind  or  another. 

The  older  States  should  reflect,  that  thC'  march  of 
Empire  is  Westward.  But  a  few  years  time  is  required 
to  change  the  representation  in  Congress.  The  repre- 
sentatives from  the  Atlantic  States  will  be  diminishing, 
while  the  West  will  be  gaining  rapidly.  Should  the 
West,  then,  pursue  the  same  illiberal  course  the  Atlantic 
States  are  now  acting  towards  them,  a  less  share  of  ap- 


w 


]  ji 

k 


'fif'" 


U 


26 


propriations  may  fall  to  the  Atlantic  Coast  than  they 
would  desire. 

This  state  of  things  need  never  happen,  if  the  West 
is  treated  fairly  and  as  they  should  be.  They  ask  but 
little  ;  let  Congress  grant  it,  and  no  portion  of  the  Union 
will  be  found  more  willing  and  ready  to  make  sacrifices 
to  any  extent,  or  contribute  more  cheerfully  to  the  glory 
and  welfare  of  the  Nation  than  the  West  will  be.  The 
impi'ovement  of  the  Mississippi  River  and  the  navigar 
tion  of  the  great  Lakes  are  matters  of  the  highest  im- 
portance to  them.  The  want  thereof  taxes  them  mil- 
lions of  dollars  annually,  in  additional  expense  of  moving 
their  products  and  the  loss  and  damage  of  property, 
vessels  and  lives.  These  unnecessary  burthens  it  cannot 
be  expected  they  will  always  bear.  The  improvements 
they  ask,  made  in  these  great  channels  of  trade,  have 
nothing  in  them  of  a  local  character,  and  the  benefits 
resulting  will  be  national  and  general,  and  beneficially 
felt  in  every  part  of  the  Union. 


27 


tliey 

^est 
:  but 
[nion 
ifices 
glory 
The 
avigar 
ist  im- 
a  mil- 
loving 

)perty, 

cannot 

Bments 

e,  have 

benefits 

3ficially 


THE  EEIE  CANAL. 

The  figures  I  present  in  relation  to  the  business  tran- 
sacted on  this  route,  from  Lake  Erie  to  Tide-water,  both 
ways,  are  perfectly  correct,  and  I'epresent  truly  tlie  busi- 
ness done.  On  this  avenue  every  pound  and  foot  of  pro- 
perty is  A\'eiglied  or  measured,  and  the  actual  quantity 
ascertained  with  great  care.  By  referring  back  to  Tables 
No.  2  and  4,  these  figures  and  statements  will  be  found. 
They  not  only  give  the  business  done  in  1850,  but  also 
that  of  1849.  This  I  have  done  to  exhibit  the  effect  on 
trade,  of  high  and  low  tolls. 

The  purpose  for  which  statistics  rre  collected,  is  not 
merely  to  fill  up  paper  with  figures,  but  to  obtain  reliable 
information  for  the  safe  guidance  of  legislation  and  other 
business.  Aware  as  I  am,  that  the  great  majority  of 
people  take  but  httle  interest  in  such  things,  and  never 
for  themselves  take  the  trouble  of  investigating  "  causes 
and  effects,"  and  have  but  little  appreciation  of  the  ad- 
vantages of  such  investigations,  I  shall  take  the  trouble 
of  analyzing  these  canal  exhibits,  and  placing  in  a  clear 
and  distinct  light,  the  effect  cheap  transportation  has 
upon  the  movement  of  property.  This  labor  of  mine,  I 
am  sure,  will  be  most  acceptable  to  all  enlightened,  wise 
and  prudent  Legislators,  saving  them  a  great  amount  of 
labor,  and  furnishing  them  a  sure  foundation  to  act  upon. 

Ever  since  tlie  Canal  was  constructed,  the  wtmt  of  as- 
cending tonnage  has  been  severely  felt,  not  merely  as  a 
great  source  of  revenue,  but  as  a  business  to  transporters, 
to  enable  them  to  cany  down  freight  at  less  rates,  and 
thus  do  away  the  necessity  and  wi'ong  of  charging  upon 
down  freight  alone,  the  greater  part  of  the  expense  of 


1 


liA 


II 


I 


28 

running  boats,  to  and  from  tide-water.  This  could  only 
be  accomplished  by  lowering  the  tolls,  as  they  consti- 
tuted the  greater  poiiion  of  the  expense  in  moving  pro- 
perty, and  extending  the  markets  for  our  own  manufac- 
tures of  iron,  steel,  nails  and  spikes,  castings,  machinery, 
pig  iron,  salt,  domestic  cottons,  and  the  heavy  foreign 
groceries  required  in  the  western  country.  From  long 
experience  in  the  business,  and  from  the  seiies  of  facts  I 
had  collected  and  embodied  in  a  Memorial  to  the  Canal 
Board  last  winter,  and  further  enforced  before  them  by 
other  facts  and  argument,  I  clearly  showed,  that  the  as- 
cending tonnage  of  the  Erie  Canal,  if  the  tolls  were  re- 
duced to  the  point  I  desired,  would,  in  three  years,  in- 
crease the  amount  of  up  freight^  known  as  merchandise, 
T6,133,527  pounds,  or  38,167  tons,  of  light  and  heavy 
goods. 

The  actual  ascertained  increase  in  this  particular  kind 
of  property,  nnder  the  operation  of  a  wise  and  discreet 
reduction  of  tolls  on  some  leading  articles,'  has  been 
32,005,684  pounds,  or  over  16,000  tons,  in  one  and  the 
first  year  of  the  experiment.  That  the  circle  of  trade 
has  been  enlarged,  and  our  trade  with  the  most  distant 
portions  of  the  country  been  greatly  increased  by  re- 
ducing the  tolls,  see  the  foUomng  statement : — 


n 


29 


nly 

isti- 

pro 

ifac- 

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eign 

long 

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ae  as- 

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livWR' 


31 

The  necessity  of  reducing  the  tolk  on  heavy  gooda 
has  become  so  manifest  from  tlie  disclosure  of  tlie  fact, 
that  the  delivery  in  1849,  at  Biiftalo,  of  Sugar,  Molasses, 
Coffee,  Iron  and  Steel,  Nails  and  Spikes,  Crockery  and 
Glass  Ware,  with  Oysters  and  Clams,  Avas  hnt  50,580,919 
pounds,  against  (U,*UG,841  pounds  of  the  same  kind  of 
goods  in  1848 — showing  a  falling  off  of  7,7<w"),922  pounds, 
which  were  not  purchased,  or  which  had  been  diverted 
through  other  States  and  routes,  to  the  injury  of  the 
canal  revenues  and  its  business.    That  tliis  trade  must 
be  invited  back,  and  more  with  it,  was  no  longer  a  ques- 
tion to  speculate  upon.    It  must  be  done,  and  done  im- 
mediately.   The  fii*st  step  to  accom])lish  it  was  a  dis- 
creet reduction  in  the  tolls.    The  forwarders  were  doing 
more  than  their  share  to  preserve  it,  by  cai-rying  light 
and  heavy  goods  for  15  cents  a  hundred,  tlie  whole 
length  of  the  canal,  while  the  State  was  enforcing  a 
charge  of  24  cents  a  hundred,  and  two  cents  a  mile  and 
boat  run,  for  using  the  canal.    A  crisis  had  come  ;  the 
State  must  relinquish  a  part  of  this  unjust  and  unwise 
tax,  or  lose  a  great  share  of  the  business  the  Erie  Canal 
was  constructed  to  perform,  and  deprive  our  own  citi- 
zens from  reaching  distant  markets  /or  tlu  sale  of  their 
own  productions. 

Reductions  were  made  (but  not  to  the  extent  that 
should  have  been  done  on  certain  ai*ticles,)  on  Sugar, 
Molasses,  Coffee,  Iron,  Nails  and  Spikes,  of  20  per  cent. ; 
Pig  Iron  25  per  cent. ;  on  Salted  Fish  50  per  cent. ;  on 
Foreign  Salt  50  per  cent. ;  largely  on  agricultural  imple- 
ments, undressed  stone,  and  several  other  ai'ticles,  ascend- 
ing. On  property  going  dov/n  the  Canal,  the  I'ates  on 
Pork,  Bacon,  Lard,  and  Whiskey,  were  reduced  25  per 
cent. ;  on  Oats  33j  per  cent. ;  Black  Walnut  Lumber  30 


f 


33 


f(t« 


Iff 


ft 


«,'■■ 


per  cent. ;  Bloom  Iron  25  per  cent. ;  Tan  Bark  50  per 
cent. ;  on  Charcoal  87 J  per  cent. ;  and  relieved  the 
Hoi'ses  used  in  towing  boats  from  paying  any  toll. 
These  reductions  made  an  average  of  from  20  to  25  per 
cent,  on  the  whole  rates.  The  amoimt  of  property  pass- 
ing on  all  the  canals  in  this  State,  in  1849,  at  rates  of 
toll  then  charged,  produced  a  revenue  of  3,268,226  dol- 
lai*s.  The  same  amount  of  property  passing  in  1850, 
under  the  reduced  rates,  would  give  only  2,614,580  dol- 
lai*s,  being  a  loss  in  the  revenue  of  653,645  dollai's,  or  20 
per  cent. 

The  business  of  the  year  1850  has  closed — and  al- 
though breaks  in  the  Canal,  interi'upting  navigation, 
have  been  more  frequent  than  usual,  and  moi'e  serious  in 
character,  requiring  great  length  of  time  to  repair — ^the 
deficit  of  the  great  leading  articles  of  Wheat,  Flour  and 
Corn,  until  after  the  Ist  of  September — the  low  prices 
which  have. ruled  in  market,  for  our  agricultural  pro- 
ducts— ;the  unfounded  repoi'ts  set  afloat  by  interested 
parties,  and  kept  alive  by  silly  articles  in  the  newspa- 
pei'S,  throwing  a  discouraging  aspect  over  business,  with 
numerous  other  drawbacks ; — all  of  which,  under  any 
other  circumstances  than  the  cheapened  rate  at  which 
property  was  invited  forward,  would  have  caused  a  se- 
rious loss  to  business  and  revenue.  These  Tables  and 
Exhibits  present  the  business  done  in  1849  and  1850. 
They  can  be  compared,  and  the  actual  effect  low  rates  of 
toll  has  had  in  increasing  the  movement  of  property  and 
revenue,  can  be  easily  seen. 

I  respectfully  suggested  and  explained  to  the  Canal 
Board  the  advantages  that  would  be  derived,  enabling 
us  to  legislate  more  intelligibly,  if  an  alteration  was 
made  in  the  manner  of  keeping  the  accounts  of  property 


33 


id 

►0. 

lof 

id 


passing  on  the  canals.    They  readily  saw  the  suggestion 
was  a  j)ropei'  on(»,  and  permitted  the  Tables  to  be  formed 
under  my  advice  and  assistance,  very  mucli  as  they  now 
appear.    Many  articles  are  now  enumerated  that  have 
heretofore  been  cliussed  amongst  the  item   "Sundries." 
We  are  now  enabled  to  know  something  of  the  kind 
and  description  of  property  transported  on  the  Canal. 
Thus,  Corn  Meal,  Tallow,  Lard,  and  Linseed  Oil ;  Horses, 
Cattle,  Sheep,  and  Hogs  ;  Machinery,  and  parts  thereof ; 
Oats,  Eggs,  Salt  Fish,  Copper  Ore,  Oil  Cake,  Ilemp,  For- 
eign Salt,  and  some  otliers,  are  enumerated.     Tlie  ac- 
counts pi'evious  to  1850  do  not  show  that  any  of  this 
kind  of  property  was  ever  moved  on  the  canals.    This 
will  explain  why  the  term  "  Sundries,"  in  the  foregoing 
table  of  down  freight,  shows  a  less  tonnage  in  1850  than 
in  1849.     But  by  adding  to  it  these  several  items  it 
greatly  exceeds.    Last  year  the  term  "  Iron  Ware  "  was 
used  ;  this  year,  "  Castings."    A  separate  account  is  kept 
this  year  of  Steel ;  last  year  it  was  mingled  with  Iron. 
Railroad  Iron  is  now  distinguished  from  other  iron  ; 
heretofore,  if  any,  it  has  been  put  into  the  same  account. 
Salted  Fish  it  a  distinct  article,  as  is  also  Foreign  Salt 
and  Starch  ;  these  articles  have  previously  been  mixed 
in  the  account  of  light  or  eight  mill  goods.    These  ex- 
planations of  the  New  Tables  ai'e  made,  so  that  the  at- 
tention may  be  more  ejisily  directed  to  the  Increase  or 
quantity  of  each  article. 

The  following  concise  statement  shows  the  effect,  re- 
duction in  the  tolls  has  had  in  increasing  Jieavy  rip 
freight^  denominated  merchandiae,  and  causing  it  to  be 
transported  the  whole  length  of  tlie  canal : — 


3 


ife 


1  ■■ 


34 

Received  at  Buffalo  in     1840. 

Sugar,            -         -  12,005,181 

Molasses,            -  -     11,172,433 

Cofiee,            -         -  5,843,652 

Nails  and  Spikes,  -       6,005,308 

Iron  and  Steel,        -  0,198,711 
Crockery  and  Glass  Ware,l  1,102,710 

Oysters  and  Clams,  -          033,018 


1850. 

12,580,784 

14,524,327 

4,004,854 

0,116,225 

27,204,050 

10,024,803 

1,037,330 


Pounds,  5(5,580,010  Pounds,88,455,372 

Being  a  gain  of  31,874,453  pounds  over  1849,  and 
24,108,531  pounds  over  1848,  tlie  year  the  largest  quan- 
tity was  ever  transported  oii  the  Canal.  See  also  the 
great  increase  in  Hides  and  Leather,  Castings,  and  Iron 
Ware,  Pig  Iron,  Stone,  Lime  and  Clay,  Mineral  Coal, 
and  sundries.  And  what  is  the  most  gratifying,  as  well 
as  the  most  beneficial  effect  of  this  is,  much  the  largest 
portion  of  this  increase  has  passed  over  the  Lakes,  giving 
business  to  our  shipping  as  well  as  adding  largely  to  the 
business  of  Canals  and  Kailroads  in  other  States.  There 
is  a  slight  increase  in  light  or  eight  mill  goods,  although 
no  reduction  was  made  in  the  tolls.  To  show  the  real 
increase  in  this  kind  of  property,  it  is  proper  to  add  the 
Salted  Fish  and  Starch,  as  these  articles  were  included 
in  the  light  goods  in  1849,  and  paid  the  same  toll.  This 
will  give  an  increase  in  light  goods  of  131,231  pounds. 
The  whole  amount  of  tonnage  delivered  at  Buffalo  in 


1849  was 

1850  was 


211,047  tons. 
200,923  tons. 


Increase,  49,870  tons. 

The  result  in  regard  to  down  freight  is  no  less  con- 
clusive in  favor  of  the  effect  the  reduction  of  the  tolls 
has  had  in  moving  forward  property.  The  increase  in 
Bacon  and  Lard  is  60  per  cent,  over  1849,  and  much 
greater  than  ever  shipped  on  the  Canal  in  any  year. 
The  same  of  Lumber,  Beef,  Wool,  Fish,  Copper  Ore, 


I A 


35 


con- 
oils 
in 
uch 
ear. 
3re, 


Charcoal,  and  many  other  ai-ticles.  Pork  m  below  last 
year.  Several  reasonn  can  l)e  assigned  :  Much  goes  off 
in  the  hog,  leaving  less  to  pack  in  the  Western  Countiy. 
Another,  and  not  alight  reason  which  had  its  effect :  ex- 
pectations were  had  that  the  tolls  would  be  reduced ; 
but  the  action  of  the  Canal  Board  on  the  subject  was 
deferred  until  the  first  week  in  March — and  information 
did  not  get  into  the  Wabash  Valley  that  the  tolls  were 
reduced  until  the  middle  of  the  month — when  the  gr*?at«r 
portion  of  that  article  had  taken  a  southerly  direction. 
Next  year,  the  Pork  of  that  country  will,  under  the  re- 
ductions on  the  New  York  and  Indiana  canals,  be  re- 
lieved the  sum  of  two  and  one  quarter  dollars  per  ton, 
which  will  have  a  great  influence  in  determining  the" 
route  it  will  take  to  market.  This  article  moves  early 
in  the  spring.  Not  so  with  Bacon  and  Lard — they  come 
along  at  all  times  during  the  season  of  navigation  ;  and 
the  greatly  increased  quantity  in  1850  over  any  other 
year,  shows  clearly  that  the  reduction  in  the  cost  of 
transportation  has  caused  it  to  come  this  way.  It  re- 
quires no  explanation  why  Wheat,  Flour,  Corn,  and 
Whiskey,  are  less  than  in  1849 :  The  scarcity  of  old 
grain  in  the  country  and  the  unexpected  demand  on  the 
Mississippi,  explains  why  it  is  so.  Since  the  coming  in. 
of  the  new  crop,  from  the  first  of  September,  the  quanti- 
ty of  Wheat  and  Flour  which  has  gone  forward,  exceeds 
last  year.  The  severe  drouth  in  the  western  country 
is  the  cause  and  only  cause  of  a  deficiency  in  Butter, 
Cheese,  and  Seeds. 

The  great  increase  in  all  articles  from  the  western 
country,  except  a  few  leading  ones  (which  the  country 
did  not  possess,)  that  every  body  looks  to  and  talks 
about,  should  be  cause  of  entire  satisfaction  and  work 


36 


!l 


i^  1.: 


I! 


f. 

lit'' 


.i^ 


1  ',»•  I » 


'1 


conviction  in  tlie  minds  of  all,  that  t\w,  true  way  to  o!^ 
tain  ImsinoHS  anil  revenue  to  the  Erie  Canal  is,  to  dis- 
creetly reduce  the  tolls  more. 

It  wants  no  radical,  violent  hreakini^  down  of*  the  pi'cv 
sent  rates — no  sensible  or  prudent  jx'i-son  would  ask 
such  action — but  a  discreet,  wise  and  judicious  re\  ision 
and  reduction,  justified  by  ascertained  fact^  and  results 
and  the  enlarged  condition  of  the  country  and  its  pi'o 
ducts  to  transport,  do  demand  and  re(|uii'e  reasonable 
reductions.  This  revision  should  take  j)lace  every  year. 
Some  leading  articles  re([nire  greater  reduction  than 
others.  In  securing  some  prominent  article,  which  every 
route  is  striving  for,  a  host  of  other  snudler  ones  over- 
looked by  every  body,  come  along  with  it.  Who,  a  few 
yeai'S  ago,  would  have  looked  to  the  Erie  Canal  as  the 
ti'ansporter  of  four  hundred  and  sixty  tons  of  Eggs  from 
the  Western[States,  towards  tide- water  ?  yet  that  (juanti- 
ty  did,  in  1850,  leave  Buffalo  on  the  Canal  for  such 
destination.  I  mention  this  arti(ile  as  one  of  a  multitude 
of  a  similar  kind.  Is  not  the  business  and  revenue  de- 
rived from  this  article  as  good  as  if  obtained  from  wheat 
or  any  other  product,  to  the  same  extent  ?  Charcoal  to 
the  amount  of  foi*ty  thousand  bushels,  owing  to  8  7 J  per 
cent,  toll  being  taken  off,  has  gone  from  Tonawanda  to 
New  York  for  the  first  time  since  the  Canal  was  con- 
structed ;  although  there  has  been  timber  in  any  quanti- 
ty, to  manufacture  the  article.  The  tolls  have  hereto- 
fore been  utterly  prohibitory;  and  never  has  a  cent  of 
revenue  or  business  been  derived  from  this  article  until 
this  year.  This  being  an  entirely  new  business,  has  re- 
quired one  year's  expeiience  to  acquire  the  necessary 
knowledge  to  manage  ?<  profitably.  This  has  been  as- 
certained ;  and  I  am  informed  by  those  interested,  that 


37 

extonsive  arrnnn^onH^nts  are  })eing  mado  to  go  larg(»ly 
into  this  businoMS  next  year. 

Ih  not  th(^  great  intc^rcst  of  tlie  people*  m  nmeli  en- 
titlcul  to  enc^rgetic,  watchful  and  judicious  attention,  from 
those  having  it  in  charge,  as  tht^  interests  of  indivichials 
or  corj)orations  are?  Ar»  not  Raih'oads  owncul  hy  citi- 
zens in  this  as  w(^ll  as  otlier  States,  and  Canals  in  fonugn 
countries,  all  putting  forth  every  exertion  it  is  possible, 
to  divert  away  business  from  th<^  Erie  Canal,  in  which 
all  the  people  of  this  State  have  an  interest  ?  And  do 
not  the  high  tolls  imposed  by  the  State  authorities,  give 
them  greater  aid  than  any  and  all  other  things  pnt  to- 
gether i  Are  not  privileges  asked  for  and  granted  to 
Railroads,  the  C-anal  would  blush  to  think  of?  Who 
or  where  is  the  citizen  that  asks  all  the  tolls  taken  from 
the  Erie  Canal,  while  combined  interests  of  corporations 
are  overriding  the  anthorities  of  the  State  and  its  law- 
makers, claim  to  and  do  receive  that  privilege  ?  They 
are  not  satisfied  to  be  put  nj)on  an  equality  with  the 
public.  A  reduction  of  tolls  on  the  Canals  is  a  like  re- 
duction on  the  Railroads.  But  this  is  not,  nor  will  it 
be  satisfactory  to  them ;  pnvate  corporations  in  this 
land  of  equal  rights  are  much  more  sacred  and  worthy 
of  protection  than  the  pul)lic  rights.  Who  carries  to 
the  consumer  on  the  seaboard  his  barrel  of  flour  for 
twenty-five  cents,  and  who  takes  the  farmer  his  fish,  salt, 
sugar,  iron,  nails,  and  other  supplies,  at  one  dollar  a  ton, 
the  whole  length  of  the  State  ?  it  is  the  Erie  Canal,  the 
people's  property,  the  great  public  benef  i.ctor — and  not 
the  labor  or  liberality  of  private  corporations.  All  that 
is  charged  above  these  rates,  are  the  penalties  affixed  by 
the  public  authorities  for  using  this  great  State  Work. 
While  thousands  are  readily  found  to  shout  for  Rail- 


38 


it 


^  i 


roads  and  every  new  thing  that  appears,  few  think  of 
the  Erie  Canal,  or  the  millions  of  property  it  has  added 
to  the  State,  and  created  the  very  means  now  used  to 
bury  it  in  oblivion.  None  turn  towards  the  seaboard 
and  witness  the  growth  of  the  Cities,  or  look  to  the  West 
and  see  a  mighty  Empire  springing  into  existence,  and 
render  honor  where  honor  is  due,  and  say,  this  is  the 
work  of  the  Erie  Canal. 

I  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  saying  anything 
hostile  against  Railroads  or  any  other  route,  for  I  do  not 
feel  so.  Railroads  are  useful  and  necessary,  and  even 
indispensable,  when  no  better  and  cheaper  conveyance 
for  doing  the  business  transportation  of  the  country 
can  be  had ;  but  for  a  State,  blessed  as  this  is,  with  a 
water  communication  like  the  Erie  Canal,  connecting 
the  Ocean  with  the  great  Lakes,  forgetful  of  the  known 
and  realized  benefits  of  the  greater,  and  permitting  them- 
selves to  become  infatuated  with  the  promised  superior 
benefits  of  the  inferior,  is  surprising.  But  I  do  desire  to 
be  known  as  a  friend  of  the  Erie  Canal,  and,  if  possible, 
revive  those  feelings  of  friendship  for  it,  which  sprung 
into  existence,  when,  on  the  morning  of  Oct.  25th.  1825, 
the  cannon  placed  on  its  banks,  announced  to  the  people, 
from  Lake  Erie  to  Sandy  Hook,  the  completion  of  this 
Great  Work — that  the  great  avenue  of  trade  was  now 
opened,  through  which  the  illimitable  trade  of  the  West 
would  flow,  enriching  this  State  to  a  degree  hardly 
within  the  reach  of  the  imagination  to  estimate,  and 
which  from  the  records  and  evidences  of  the  benefits  it 
has  conferred,  not  merely  on  this  State,  but  the  whole 
country,  it  has  never  justly  forfeited — An  avenue  of  com- 
merce of  more  advantage  to  the  great  public  than  all 
the  others — The  regulator  of  all  other  routes  and  modes 


I 


39 

of  conveyance  tLrougliout  the  broadest  extent  of  the 
land,  for  carrying  on  the  transportation  of  the  products 
of  the  country.  If  it  can  be  permitted  to  exhibit  its 
ability,  by  relieving  property  passing  on  it  from  unne- 
cessary burthen,  to  diffuse  blessings  untold,  it  will  be 
found  as  it  ever  has  been,  the  true  and  faithful  servant, 
which  will  always  do  its  duty,  although  it  shall  be  re- 
warded with  sneers,  and  be  spoken  of  as  having  in  a 
measure  become  useless  and  seen  its  best  days. 

Before  we  condemn  and  discard  this  ftiithful  old  ser- 
vant, the  Erie  Canal,  let  us  appeal  to  the  records  of  its 
business  done,  and  see  if  we  have  any  just  cause  for 
doing  so.  The  Albany  Ai^gus  states,  that  the  delivery 
at  tide-water  in  fifteen  working  days,  that  is,  from  the 
15th  to  the  30th  November,  1850,  both  days  inclusive, 
to  have  been,  in 

Flour,  barrels 565.417 

Wheat,  Corn,  Rye,  Barley,  and  Oats,  1,644,581  bushels, 

equal 328,917 

Pork,  Beef,  and  Ashes,  50,087  barrels 77,551 

Butter,  Lard,  Bacon,  Cheese,  and  Wool,  13,645,785,  lbs.  63,175 

1,035,060 
Lumber,  Timber,  Staves,  Wood,  Coal,  Corn  Meal,  Oils, 
Tobacco,  Seeds,  Dried  Fruits,  Leather,  Domestic 
Spirits,  Bran  and  Ship-stuflFs,  Pig  Iron,  and  nume- 
rous other  articles  during  the  same  time,  I  estimate     350,000 

The  whole  being  equal  to 1.385,060 

Barrels  of  Flour,  of  nearly  100,000  barrels  a  day  for 
fifteen  consecutive  days. 

This  would  be  looked  upon  as  a  pretty  fair  business 
to  be  done  in  so  short  a  time,  on  a  channel  "  that  has 
seen  its  best  days,"  whose  "  tow-path  is  becoming  covered 
with  grass,"  "  its  waters  a  solitude,"  and  from  their  stag- 
nant condition  becoming  unhealthy  "  for  want  of  being 
stirred  up  by  passing  boats  !"    This  exhibit  only  shows 


40 


I? 

el  I 


iv^ 


the  business  done  one  way.  It  it  quite  probable  a  few 
tons  more  or  less  left  tide-water  for  the  interior  during 
the  same  time. 

The  followins^  concise  statement  of  the  movement  of 
propertj^  on  the  Erie  Canal  to  and  from  tide-water,  for 
the  years  1847,  '48,  '49,  and  '50,  I  have  taken  from  the 
ICvemng  Journal^  which  has  had  access  to  the  accounts 
of  1850,  since  they  were  made  up  : 


1847 
1848 
1849 
1850 


To  Tide  Water. 
Tons,  Valuation. 

1,744,283 


From  Tide  Water.     Total  Movement  J^  Value. 
Tons.       Valuation.       Tons.       Valuation. 


1,447,005 
l,.'">79.94r) 
2,034,018 


50.883,907 
52,375,521 
55,480,941 


313,031 
329,461 
317.3G4 
441,582 


74,943.450!  1,777,306 
7.5,266,073  1,809.310 
85,177,068   2,475,600 


2,057,314  .$151,612,109 
125,&27,,S57 
127,641,594 
140,658,009 


Increase  tonnage  1850  over  1849,  more  than  30  per  cent. 
"       valuation near  11  per  cent 

The  amount  of  tonnage  moved  in  1847  is  greatly  ex- 
ceeded in  1850 ;  but  the  extraordinary  quantity  of 
wheat  and  flour  sent  to  market  that  year  and  the  un- 
usually high  prices  they  commanded,  give  the  values 
that  year  the  ascendency  over  any  subsequent  one.  But 
in  all  the  essentials  of  business  and  benefits  to  the  coun- 
try, it  loses  its  position,  and  must  succumb  to  1850. 


<j  !• 


TOLLS  COLLECTED  IN 


1847 
1848 


3,635,381 
3,SJ52,212 


1849 
1850 


3,268,226 
3,276,903 


'hi 


i'. 

If.-- 


Does  the  business  done  upon,  and  the  revenue  derived 
from,  the  Erie  Canal  in  1850,  show,  that  "the  great 
State  of  New  York  must  abandon  her  Canals — groan 
under  an  impoverished  treasury  and  magnificent  debt, 
&c.,  (fee"! !  On  the  contrary,  do  not  these  figures  de- 
monstrate with  what  fidelity  and  watchful  care  this  State 
should  guard  and  cherish  the  Erie  Canal,  which  has 
secured  to  them  the  immense  treasures  of  the  business 


a^' 


W'l 


I 

I 


41 


w^' 


of  the  illimitable  and  prolific  We^t,  which  trade  can 
never  be  taken  from  them,  but  can  annually  be  in- 
creased, if  they  are  faithful  to  the  great  trust  resting  on 
them. 

I  have  procured  these  figui'es  and  facts  and  made 
these  remarks  from  a  high  regard  for  the  l)est  interests 
of  the  people  of  this  State,  in  the  hope  it  will  arouse  a 
latent  feeling  of  duty  on  the  part  of  legislators  and  those 
having  in  charge  the  public  works,  not  to  sacrifice  them, 
by  reducing  the  revenue  derived  fi'oiii  them,  wliich  goes 
into  every  man's  pocket,  by  giving  to  rival  and  incom- 
petent means  (Railroads)  privileges  for  doing  the  busi- 
ness this  State  has  expended  her  tens  of  millions  of  dol- 
Iai*s  to  secure,  not  enjoyed  by  the  great  public,  to  satisfy 
the  craving  avarice  of  the  few.  Place  all  the  Canals  and 
Railroads  everywhere  in  the  State  on  the  same  footing 
of  equality :  If  tolls  are  taken  off  on  one  mode  of  con- 
veyance take  it  off  the  other.  In  the  meantime  exact 
the  same  care  and  watchfidness  in  collecting  tolls  and 
seeing  that  property  does  not  escape  scot-free  on  the  one 
that  is  watched  by  hundreds  of  eyes  on  the  other.  On 
the  Canals  no  man  is  trusted  a  moment  for  tolls — his 
bills  of  weight  not  confided  in — inspectors  are  multiplied 
.  to  watch  him  at  every  point — expensive  weigh-locks  are 
constructed  to  weigh  boat  and  cargo,  to  detect  any  at- 
tempt at  fraud,  and  when  caught  at  it,  severe  fines  and 
penalties  are  imposed.  See  how  Railroads  are  indulged. 
No  one  looks  after  them — exceptions  are  made  in  tlieir 
favor — they  carry  what  they  please — return  an  amount 
for  as  much  as  they  please,  and  some  time  in  the  course 
of  the  next  month  after  the  tolls  are  due,  they  are  paid 
on  just  so  much  as  the  managers  see  fit  to  return.  I  do 
not  say   the  Railroad  managers  would  be  guilty  of  de- 


n 


i 


m  'i 


ff- 


kis 


m 


i 
,11 


42 

frauding  the  State  of  its  just  dues,  but  I  do  say,  that  all 
men  are  very  much  alike  when  looking  to  their  own  in- 
terests. Accidental  mistakes  must  always  happen  in 
their  favor ;  and  I  happen  to  know,  for  they  have  been 
caught  at  it  and  exposed  and  fined,  that  dishonest  men 
doing  business  on  the  Canal  have  resorted  to  every  kind 
of  ingenuity  to  cheat  the  State  out  of  tolls. 

Tlie  Erie  Canal  has  already  built  and  sustains  the 
Chenumg  Canal,  Chenango  Canal,  Crooked  Lake  Canal, 
Montezuma  and  Seneca  Canal,  Oneida  Lake  improve- 
ment, contributed  three  millions  to  the  New  York  and 
Erie  Railroad,  and  is  now  constructing  the  Genesee  Val- 
ley Canal,  the  Black  River  Canal,  paying  for  its  own  con- 
struction and  enlargement,  and  furnishing  annually  large 
sums  to  support  the  State  Government.  Having  al- 
ready done  so  much,  and  all  the  time  doing  more  good, 
would  certainly  seem  to  entitle  it  to  every  care  and  pro- 
tection until  all  these  great  objects  are  completed,  when 
the  tolls  on  all  routes  may  be  reduced  to  nominal  rates, 
which  will  remove  the  necessity  of  taxation  to  support 
the  State  Government — with  our  magnificent  system  of 
internal  improvement  completed  and  paid  for,  and  an- 
nually adding  millions  of  dollars  to  the  value  of  property 
in  this  State,  even  while  these  works  are  progressing  to 
completion. 

The  truth  is,  we  have  lost  sight  of  the  polar  star  which 
has  led  this  State  in  her  march  to  greatness,  and  have 
been  following  imaginary  lights  which  recede  from  us 
as  we  approach  them,  leaving  us  disappointed,  discon- 
tented, and  unhappy,  and  almost  ready  to  abandon  the 
very  agent  which  each  revolving  year  is  adding  millions 
to  the  wealth  of  the  State,  and  preeminently  distin- 
guishes her  above  all  others.    It  is  time  we  should  come 


m 

m 


TTVi^'^W^ ''■^" 


43 

back  from  our  visionary  speculations  and  wanderings  to 
the  sober  realities  of  fact.  The  State  of  New  York  pos- 
sesses in  her  Erie  Canal,  an  unrivalled  and  never  to  be 
equalled  channel  of  communication  between  tlie  Ocean 
and  Western  country.  A  judicious  and  wise  administra- 
tion of  its  management,  discreetly  reducing  tolls  from 
time  to  time,  7/hen  doing  so  will  increase  business  and 
revenue — enlarging  its  capacity  as  is  now  being  done 
every  year,  making  it  more  convenient  and  inviting  to 
trade  to  pass  it — a  stead}^  and  judicious  course  of  action, 
uninfluenced  by  the  clap-trap  hue  and  cry  from  every 
interested  quarter  and  interest,  is  all  that  is  required,  to 
make  this  work  what  it  was  originally  designed  to  be — 
the  great  business  route  to  and  from  the  Atlantic  to  the 
great  and  growing  West — securing  as  it  has  done  that 
trade  to  the  benefit  of  the  peoi)le  of  this  State — paying 
for  its  own  construction — discharging  the  debts  of  the 
State — furnishing  means  to  carry  on  the  State  Govern- 
ment, as  well  as  for  accomplishing  other  works  of  im- 
provement, and  all  without  costing  a  citizen  one  cent. 

Little  as  I  fear  its  business  being  drawn  away,  by 
any  of  the  new  routes  and  modes  of  conveyance  now 
completed,  or  to  be  completed,  I  am  decidedly  in  favor 
of  discreet  reductions  being  made  in  the  rates  of  toll  on 
certain  great  and  leading  articles — 

Because,  it  will  be  the  means  of  increasing  its  business 
and  revenue — give  constant  employment  during  the  sea- 
son of  navigation,  to  the  more  than  40,000  j^ersons  en- 
gaged upon  it,  many  of  whom  having  the  fruits  of  the 
labor  of  their  lives  invested  in  a  boat  and  horses,  are  en- 
titled to  this  consideration  from  the  State,  while  from 
the  joint  labor  of  all,  the  Treasury  receives  annually  more 
than  3,250,000  dollars  :    Because,  a  reduction  in  the  tolls 


I] 


\ 


44 


llff 

I  i 


on  the  Erie  Canal,  will  compel  overy  other  route  and 
mode  of  transportation  to  reduce  their  charges,  thereby 
making  them  more  useful  than  they  would  otherwise  be, 
and  thus  aiford  the  benefit  of  cheap  transport,  to  the 
most  extended  portions  of  our  country:    Because,  by 
such  reduction,  the  consumer  will  be  furnished  with 
cheap  bread,  the  producer  relieved  from  an  unnecessary 
tax  in  carrying  it  to  market,  and  will  enable  the  necessi- 
tous millions  of  Europe  to  obtain  supplies  in  our  sear 
board  markets  cheaper  than  in  any  other  country,  and 
aid  essentially  in  increasing  our  Foreign  trade  :    Because, 
the  increase  of  business  annually  required  to  be  done  to 
and  from  a  rapidly  growing  country,  will  more  than  re- 
place any  deficiency  in  the  revenue,  caused  by  a  reduction 
in  the  rates  of  toll,  although  the  precise  article  on  which 
the  reduction  may  be  made,  may  not  increase  sufficiently 
to  make  good  that  particular  loss — yet  a  reduction  on 
certain  great  leading  articles  will  cause  such  a  general 
movement  in  all,  through  the  Canal,  that  no  loss  of  reve- 
nue need  be  apprehended  :    Because,  a  series  of  facts  col- 
lected yearly  and  from  different  sources,  all  concur  to 
prove  that  a  reduction  in  the  tolls  on  the  Erie  Canal  ex- 
tends the  circle  of  trade,  enlarges  the  market  for  our 
own  manufactures,  and  adds  greatly  to  the  business  for 
our  shipping  on  the  Lakes,  the  Canal,  and  the  Ocean : 
Because,  the  tolls  on  the  Western  Canals  connecting  with 
the  Lakes,  desirous  of  receiving  from  and  giving  the  Erie 
Canal  business,  are  steadily  being  reduced  to  the  mutual 
advantage  of  both  :    Because,  the  more  business  done  on 
the  Erie  Canal,  and  the  more  revenue  collected  there- 
from, will  inure  to  the  benefit  of  every  citizen  of  this 
State,  and  be  advantageously  felt  in  every  department 
and  occupation  in  life  :    And  because,  experience,  several 


■al 


45 

and  different  periods  of  times  repeated,  has  iinltbrnily 
demonstrated  tliat  every  reduction  in  the  cost  of  moving 
property  on  the  Eri(3  Canal,  lias  resulted  in  laigely  in- 
creasing its  business  and  revenue. 

The  Erie  Canal  was  not  constructed  merely  for  the 
purpose  of  piling  up  money  in  the  Treasur)^,  l)ut  to  de- 
velope  the  resources  of  the  State,  build  up  our  cities  and 
towns,  give  employment  to  every  branch  of  industrj^ 
pursued  T)y  our  citizens,  and  make  the  city  of  New  York 
the  great  Commercial  Emporium  of  tlu^  Continent,  by 
inviting  through  it  the  trade  of  the  West.  This  it  has 
accomplished,  in  a  most  eminent  degree.  Look  around 
in  every  section  of  the  State,  and  see  the  I'apid  gi'owth  of 
our  towns,  the  ready  formed  ctisli  markets,  our  foreign 
commerce  greatly  increased,  the  improved  condition  of 
our  farms  and  agriculture,  the  numerous  manufactures, 
schools,  colleges,  churches,  and  other  public  buildings, 
the  improved  taste  in  building  in  town  and  country,  re- 
sulting from  the  ability  to  mdulge  it — looking  at  all 
these  things,  who  will  say  that  this  great  avenue  of  trade 
has  not  enriched  the  people  of  all  New  York  millions  of 
dollars,  and  thrust  forward  the  Empire  State  to  a  high 
and  commanding  position  ? 

Yet  a  great  many  persons  are  found,  and  always  will 
be,  of  small  capacity  and  contracted  views,  ever  ready 
to  determine  important  matters,  who  never  take  the  trou- 
ble to  consult  facts  to  enlighten  and  form  their  judgment, 
whose  opinions,  when  given,  only  lead  to  error  ;  who  de- 
clare, and  act  accordingly  that  it  is  no  benefit,  l)ut  an  inju- 
ry to  this  State,  to  have  such  a  volume  of  western  trade 
flowing  through  it,  filling  our  markets  to  the  loss  of  our 
own  producers.  Were  it  possible,  after  merely  consult- 
ing our  own  eyes,  that  this  could  be  true  in  any  respect, 


m 


46 

their  opinions,  crude  and  unsound  as  they  are,  would  be 
entitled  to  tlie  consideration  of  an  investigation.  But 
they  are  not.  It  is  only  a  waste  of  time  to  combat  such 
folly.  It  merely  requires  the  facts  in  regard  to  this  mat- 
ter to  be  stated,  to  expose  the  absurdity  of  such  notions, 
without  the  labor  of  argument.  The  greater  the  western 
trade  is,  passing  through  the  Erie  Canal,  the  faster  the 
domestic  trade  of  the  State  increases.  The  movement  of 
property  on  the  New  Yjrk  Canals  at  different  periods, 
is  shown  by  the  "  Red  Book,"  or  Legislative  Manual, 
page  412  and  421. 


';?!, 


47 


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48 

inent  in  i)r()i)Oi'ty,  if  cliJU'^aul  at  former  ratcH  of  toll,  to 
have  produced  a  nivenuc  of $.'^,1)32,284  ;  being  .'S^:U)(),000 
more  than  wjis  ev(M' reeeived  before — even  in  1847,  when 
starving  Euroi)e  called  for  every  eatable  thing  we  had  to 
B])are.  Is  it  not  e\ident,  from  these  ascertained  facts, 
that  much  pi'operty,  lieretoforc  proiii])ite(l  fi'om  seeking 
a  market,  hjis  been  made  an  extensive  matter  of  trade, 
merely  by  cheapening  the  cost  of  moving  it?  And  Inis 
not  the  great  public  Ix^en  relieved  from  an  uncalled  for 
tax  u})on  their  Ld)or  and  i)roduct ions,  of  little  short  of 
700,000  dollars,  and  yet  the  revenue  has  been  increased  ? 

It  has  been  objected  in  some  quai'ters  that  I  give  too 
much'  importance  to  reduction  of  tolls,  or  cheapening 
transportation,  in  increasing  our  canal  trade  ;  and  tliat  I 
do  not  sufficiently  take  into  account  the  great  growth  of 
the  country  and  its  l)usiness  to  l)e  done.  This  is  not  so. 
It  matters  not  how  much  the  western  country  may  mul- 
tiply in  population,  or  increase  its  business,  if  this  State, 
by  high  and  unnecessary  charges  for  using  her  Canals, 
prevents  their  property  from  passing  on  them.  If  it  is 
driven  to  seek  other  and  cheaper  I'outes — and  in  every 
direction  efforts  are  making  to  secure  it — what  benefit  is 
the  increase  of  western  business  to  us  ?  It  is  plain,  there- 
fore, that  the  primary  cause  of  the  great  increase  of  our 
Canal  trade  is  the  clieaper  rate  at  which  it  can  be  done. 
There  is  sound  wisdom  in  such  a  course,  not  only  as  re- 
gards the  best  interests  of  the  people  of  this  State,  but 
justice  to  the  citizens  of  other  States,  whose  business  it  is 
our  wish  and  interest  to  secure. 

The  Erie  Canal,  in  connection  with  the  Lakes,  is  na- 
tional in  its  benefits  and  influence,  although  only  a  State 
work.  The  authorities  of  this  State  alone  can  manasre 
and  do  what  is  necessary  to  promote  the  public  welfare 


49 


IS 

\e- 
ir 
le. 

\e- 
it 

lis 

la- 


te 


in  this  particular.  Constructed  by  New  York  to  devel- 
ope  the  resources  of  the  State  and  to  invite  the  trade  of 
the  West  through  it,  for  the  advancement  of  her  own 
pai-ticular  interests,  and  having  been  selected  by  the 
West  as  the  principal  channel  for  doing  their  great  and 
growing  business,  it  loses  in  a  certain  degree  its  simple 
character  of  a  State  work,  and  becomes  a  National  neces- 
sity, and  other  States  than  New  York  have  a  deep  inter- 
est in  it  and  its  management  No  one  act  this  State  can 
do  will  so  much  benefit  herself  and  other  States  as  great 
liberality  in  allowing  their  property  to  pass  through  her 
Canals  at  reasonable  rates  of  toll. 

The  use  of  this  great  woi-k,  constructed  to  invite  their 
use  of  it  for  the  benefit  of  this  State,  and  being  their 
only  water  communication  to  the  ocean,  except  through  a 
foreign  country,  it  has  become  so  indispensably  necessary 
to  so  many  States,  if  arbitrary  and  severe  charges,  whol- 
ly uncalled  for,  are  imposed  upon  their  property  for 
using  it,  the  question  of  right  of  way  may  at  some  future 
day  arise,  to  trouble  all  parties.  No  difficulty  need  ever 
be  apprehended  on  this  point,  if  New  York  pui-sues  a 
liberal  and  enlightened  policy. 

The  West  are  furaisliing  largely  ti^e  business  from 
which  the  means  are  derived  for  constructing  it,  and  hav- 
ing done  so,  is  it  not  the  best  policy,  saying  nothing  about 
the  justice  of  the  thing,  to  allow  them  and  our  own  citi- 
zens, the  use  of  it  at  the  cheapest  rate,  having  a  due  re- 
gard to  secure  revenue  to  finish  its  completion,  as  well  as 
the  other  works  dependent  upon  it ;  paying  its  own 
charges  for  repairs  and  superintendence  ;  the  obligations 
of  the  State  for  constructing  it,  and  after  doing  all  this, 
leave  a  large  amount  of  money  for  State  purposes.  All 
this  can  be  easily  accomplished,  by  judicious  action  on 


,1 


I 


50 


-'.  --; 


the  part  of  the  Canal  Board  ;  for  they  will  Uer  tnore  tlian 
aided  by  the  reciprocal  good  feeling  of  the  West,  who 
■Will  do  their  great  and  yearly  increaaing  buidness  upon 
the  Erie  Canal.    "••'    '^-'''   '■'■'    -'^^ •••■■'-  '-^^^-^-"^^i 

Thd  coui*se  of  New  York  in  this  matter  is  plainly  and 
dil^tinctly  marked  out.  Multiply  the  bn?<ineMfl  and  in- 
creane  the  revenue  of  the  Erie  Cauat,  by  a  (•ai'ei\il  And 
discreet  revision  and  reduction  of  canal  tollH— coinplete 
the  enlargement  afl  soon  as  possible,  that  evfiry  filcility 
and  inducement  may  be  given  to  other  States  who  de- 
sire to  do  their  business  through  this  chatinc^l,  and  thus 
secure  the  i)rofits  arising  from  tile  business  to  durkelVes. 
'  The  great  increase  in  the  trade  through  t^i's  channel 
in  1850,  should  satisfy  those  having  charge  of  it,  tlie 
good  effect  the  reduction  of  tolls  has  had  upon  the  feel- 
ings of  the  Western  people,  by  the  greater  trade  they 
have  given  to  us,  to  the  benefit  of  our  citizen^  and  tlie 
State  Treasury.  '         ••    •-     •^''       -'   "'"--••'/ 

A  striking  and  peculiar  feature  in  relation  to  the  Lakes 
and  Erie  Canal,  which  stamps  them  with  a  national  cha- 
racter, is  this  :  they  and  they  alone  determine  the  price 
or  cost  of  the  transportation  business  of  the  coiintry 
throughout  its  broadest  extent.  They  govern  and  regu- 
late all  other  routes  and  modes  of  transportation,  and  fix 
the  price  for  doing  the  business.  Hence,  the  lower  it  is 
done  upon  them,  the  greater  and  more  diffused  are  the 
benefits  conferred  upon  the  great  public.  This  ability 
to  do  so  much  and  general  good,  at  so  little  cost,'  im- 
poses a  high'  duty  on  Congress  and  the  State  of  l^ew 
York  to  perform  it.  .\    'T'l* 

A  matter  of  the  highest  importance,  and  xvhich  shoiild 
be  impressed  upon  the  State  Legislature,  is  the  renieth- 
"brance  of  the  feet,  that  the  only  source  allowed  by  tie 


>1 


JW 


f 


Constitution,  to  obtain  the  means  of  enlarging  tlie  Ene 
Canal,  i^  the  surplus  (after  providing  largtily  rbr  othc^r 
objects)  of  its  own  earnings.  This  surplus  is  constitu- 
tionally appropriated  to  tbe  enlargenH^nt  of  the  Eric 
Canal,  and  the  completion  of  the  Genesee  and  Black 
River  Canals.  All  discretionary  power  of  diverting  this 
money  to  any  other  purpose  is  taken  away  from  the 
Legislature,  and  their  sound  judgment  and  discrtjtion 
alone  is  to  determine  what  poi'tion  of  this  Fund  shall 
be  allowed  to  eacb  of  these  works. 

On  the  fii-st  of  June,  1855,  the  Constitution  requires 
400,000  dollars  additional  to  be  taken  from  this  surplus, 
and  placed  to  the  credit  of  tbe  Sinking  Fund.  On  that 
day  tbe  means  constitutionally  provided  for  the  three 
works  named  will  be  diminished  this  amount.  Does  it 
not,  therefore,  behoove  the  Legislature  in  the  meantime, 
to  set  apart  annually  nearly  the  whole  constitutional 
sum,  the  surplus  to  complete,  as  far  as  possible  in  that 
time,  the  enlargement  of  the  Erie  Canal,  as  the  surest 
and  quickest  mode  of  obtaining  the  money  to  finish  the 
other  works,  within  any  reasonable  time  ?  And,  in  the 
meanwhile,  that  the  most  judicious  and  liberal  course, 
the  most  inviting  to  the  trade  of  other  States,  should  be 
adopted  to  increase  our  business  and  revenue,  and  add 
largely  to  the  surplus,  that  the  great  and  important  ob- 
jects to  which  it  is  constitutionally  devoted,  may  be 

the  sooner  accomplished. 

J.  L.  BARTON. 
Buffalo,  January,  1851. 


